How life has changed in Buckinghamshire

Buckinghamshire's population increased by about 26,300 between the last two censuses. This semi-automated article highlights some of the key changes among the local population.

The population passed half a million

In the decade to 2011, the population of Buckinghamshire increased by 5.5%, from just over 479,000 to 505,000.

The addition of about 26,000 people means this area's population increased at a slower rate than the total population of England (up 7.9% since the 2001 census).

In 2011, Buckinghamshire was home to, on average, 5.1 people per football pitch-sized piece of land.

Population density was higher than the average across the South East

Population density (usual residents per football pitch-sized piece of land) across the South East, March 2011 (larger dots represent greater increase since 2001)

An older Buckinghamshire

Census 2011 data also show a change in the local population's average age.

Between the last two censuses, the median age of Buckinghamshire increased by three years, from 38 to 41 years.

This area had a slightly higher average age than the South East and remained slightly older than the average local authority area across England (39 years of age).

The rise in age was because of an increase of almost 12,000 people between the ages of 60 and 69 years, while the population between 30 and 39 years decreased by just under 10,000.

About 11.0% of people in Buckinghamshire are aged between 60 and 69 years

Percentage of usual residents in England, South East and Buckinghamshire by 10 year age band, March 2001 and March 2011

Religion in Buckinghamshire

The 2011 Census asked a voluntary question about religion. Of those who chose to disclose their religious affiliation, the largest percentage point increase in Buckinghamshire was among those who said they had no religion, rising 9.6 points.

In 2011, 25.8% of respondents in Buckinghamshire gave this answer to the question on religion, compared with 16.2% of those who answered in 2001.

Across the South East, the percentage of people who answered the question on religion and described themselves as having no religion increased from 17.9% to 30.1%, while across England the percentage went from 15.7% to 26.5%.

Of those who disclosed their religion in Buckinghamshire, 65.2% said they were Christian, compared with 78.0% in 2001. About 5.5% said they were Muslim, compared with 3.9% a decade prior.

In Buckinghamshire, 7.1% chose not to answer the question on religious affiliation, compared with 6.9% in 2001. Across the South East, 7.4% did not answer the voluntary question, compared with 7.7% in 2001.

There are many factors that can cause changes to the religious profile of an area, such as differing patterns of ageing or of moving to or from an area for work or education. Changes may also be caused by differences in the way individuals choose to self-identify between censuses.

The population that said they had no religion in Buckinghamshire increased by 9.6 percentage points

Percentage of usual residents who answered the voluntary question on religion in England, South East and Buckinghamshire by religion, March 2001 and March 2011

Disability in Buckinghamshire

The percentage of Buckinghamshire residents whose day-to-day activities are limited a little by a long-term health problem or disability remained close to 7.1% in the 10 years leading up to 2011.

In 2011, just over 1 in 40 (2.7%) reported being limited a lot in their day-to-day activities, compared with 2.1% in 2001. The percentage of Buckinghamshire residents whose day-to-day activities are not limited by a long-term health problem or disability decreased from 90.9% to 90.2%.

The proportion of people who are slightly limited by a long-term health problem or disability increased at a similar rate to the figure for the whole of the South East (from 6.8% in 2001 to 6.7% in 2011). Across England, the percentage fell from 6.8% to 6.5%.

The proportion of people who are limited a little by a long-term health problem or disability was higher than across the South East

Percentage of usual residents that reported being slightly limited in their day-to-day activities across local authority areas in the South East and the average across England, March 2011

Rise in private renting

The percentage of households in Buckinghamshire that rented privately increased from 7.8% to 12.9% in the decade leading up to the most recent census.

The percentage that lived in social housing remained close to 13.4%, while the percentage of Buckinghamshire households that owned their home decreased from 76.1% to 72.2%.

The proportion of privately rented homes increased at a similar rate to the figure for the whole of the South East (from 10.2% in 2001 to 16.5% in 2011). Across England, the percentage increased from 9.9% to 16.9%.

Private renting in Buckinghamshire increased by 5.1 percentage points

Percentage of households in Buckinghamshire, the South East and England that rented privately, March 2001 and March 2011

Ethnicity in Buckinghamshire

In 2011, 8.6% of Buckinghamshire residents said they were from the Asian or Asian British ethnic groups, up from 5.0% in 2001. The 3.6 percentage point change was the largest increase among ethnic groups in this area.

Across the South East, the percentage of people from the Asian or Asian British ethnic groups increased from 2.6% to 5.0%, while across England the percentage went from 5.2% to 8.0%.

Around 86.4% of people in Buckinghamshire said they were from one of the White ethnic groups, compared with 92.1% in 2001. About 2.5% said they were from Mixed/multiple ethnic groups (White and Asian, White and Black African, White and Black Caribbean or Other Mixed), compared with 1.3% a decade prior.

The percentage of people who said they were from the Black, Black British, Caribbean or African ethnic groups increased from 1.3% to 2.1%.

There are many factors that can cause changes to the ethnic profile of an area, such as differing patterns of ageing or of moving to or from an area for work or education. Changes may also be caused by differences in the way individuals choose to self-identify between censuses.

The population from the Asian or Asian British ethnic groups in Buckinghamshire increased by 3.6 percentage points

Percentage of usual residents in England, South East and Buckinghamshire by ethnicity, March 2001 and March 2011

Fewer people worked long hours

The percentage of employed people in Buckinghamshire working more than 49 hours in the week before the census decreased from 16.0% to 12.7% in the 10 years leading up to the latest census.

In 2011, just under 1 in 30 (3.1%) people aged 16 to 74 (in employment the week before the Census 2011) said they had worked less than 16 hours the previous week, compared with 2.2% in 2001.

The proportion of people working long hours fell at a similar rate to the figure for the whole of the South East (from 14.3% in 2001 to 11.2% in 2011). Across England, the percentage fell from 13.0% to 10.1%.

Long hour working in Buckinghamshire decreased by 3.2 percentage points

Percentage of usual residents aged 16 to 74 (in employment the week before the Census 2011) in Buckinghamshire, the South East and England that said they had worked over 49 hours the week before completing the census, March 2001 and March 2011

More single people in Buckinghamshire

The percentage of people who had never been married or in a civil partnership increased in Buckinghamshire, but at a slower rate than across England.

In Buckinghamshire, the proportion of single people increased from 26.4% in 2001 to 28.8% in 2011. During the same period, the proportion across England increased from 30.5% to 34.9%.

Across the South East, the share of people who had never been married or in a civil partnership increased from 28.5% to 32.1%.

The proportion of married people in Buckinghamshire fell from 57.4% to 54.3%, while the proportion of people who had divorced or separated from a marriage or civil partner increased from 9.1% to 10.4%.

The proportion of people who had never married or entered a civil partnership was lower than across the South East

Percentage of usual residents aged 16 and over that said they were single across local authority areas in the South East and the average across England, March 2011

Health improved

The percentage of Buckinghamshire residents that described their health as bad or very bad decreased from 5.8% to 3.5% between the last two censuses.

Rates are standardised to account for variation in age, which can impact the local population's health.

In 2011, just under 9 in 10 (85.9%) said their health was good or very good, compared with 74.9% in 2001. The percentage of Buckinghamshire residents that described their health as fair decreased from 19.3% to 10.7%.

The proportion of residents that perceived their health as bad or very bad fell at a similar rate to the figure for the whole of the South East (from 7.2% in 2001 to 4.4% in 2011). Across England, the percentage fell from 9.1% to 5.5%.

These data are people’s own opinions in describing their overall health. They may be inconsistent with other measures of health, such as NHS records.

The percentage of people in ’bad’ or ’very bad’ health in Buckinghamshire decreased by 2.3 percentage points

Percentage of usual residents in Buckinghamshire, the South East and England said their health was bad or very bad, March 2001 and March 2011

Rise in rate of self-employment

The percentage of Buckinghamshire residents that were self-employed increased from 11.1% to 12.9% in the decade to 2011.

In 2011, just over one in two (54.8%) people aged 16 to 74 said they were employed, compared with 56.2% in 2001. The percentage of Buckinghamshire residents that were unemployed increased from 2.0% to 3.0%.

The proportion of self-employed people increased at a similar rate to the figure for the whole of the South East (from 9.5% in 2001 to 10.9% in 2011). Across England, the percentage increased from 8.2% to 9.7%.

The rate of self-employment was higher than across the South East

Percentage of usual residents aged 16 to 74 that said they were self-employed across local authority areas in the South East and the average across England, March 2011

Changing household dynamics

The percentage of households in Buckinghamshire, which comprised a cohabiting couple, increased from 8.0% to 9.0% in the 10 years leading up to 2011.

In 2011, just over one in four (25.9%) households had only one person, compared with 24.9% in 2001. The percentage of households in Buckinghamshire which comprised a married couple (with or without children) decreased from 44.6% to 40.6%.

The proportion of households with an unmarried couple increased at a similar rate to the figure for the whole of the South East (from 8.7% in 2001 to 9.9% in 2011). Across England, the percentage increased from 8.3% to 9.9%.

The percentage of households with a cohabiting couple was lower than across the South East

Percentage of households that had an unmarried couple across local authority areas in the South East and the average across England, March 2011

Change in unpaid care

The percentage of Buckinghamshire residents that provided between 20 and 49 hours of weekly unpaid care increased from 0.8% to 1.0% in the decade leading up to the most recent census.

In 2011, 1.7% of reported providing at least 50 hours of unpaid care each week, compared with 1.3% in 2001.

The proportion of people providing between 20 and 49 hours of weekly unpaid care increased at a similar rate to the figure for the whole of the South East (from 0.8% in 2001 to 1.1% in 2011). Across England, the percentage increased from 1.1% to 1.4%.

The proportion of people providing between 20 and 49 hours of weekly unpaid care in Buckinghamshire remained close to 1.0%

Percentage of usual residents in England, South East and Buckinghamshire by care, March 2001 and March 2011

Changes in family structure

The percentage of households in Buckinghamshire with only adult children living with their parents decreased from 9.8% to 9.5% in the 10 years leading up to the latest census.

The percentage that had at least one dependent child remained close to 31.6%, while the percentage of households in Buckinghamshire without children remained close to 58.8%.

The proportion of households with adult children living with their parents fell at a similar rate to the figure for the whole of the South East (from 8.8% in 2001 to 9.1% in 2011). Across England, the percentage increased from 9.4% to 9.6%.

The proportion of households with only adult children living with their parents was higher than across the South East

Percentage of households where a parent lived with their adult children across local authority areas in the South East and the average across England, March 2011

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